Crunch time for Chiefs' and Brumbies' playoff ambitions

Which side rebounds best? The Chiefs after their bye or the Brumbies after their solitary Super 14 defeat?

Both sides will have to deal with those demons in this Canberra clash tonight. And while it is only the halfway point of the new series, the game looms as a pivotal point in each side's playoff ambitions.

"It is a crunch time," Chiefs coach Ian Foster said.

"This is a great game for us to bridge the gap to the leaders especially as we have played one game less."

After their loss to the Blues, the Brumbies are as vulnerable as an injured animal struggling to stay with the main herd.

They are lagging behind the leading trio - the Crusaders, Hurricanes and Waratahs - and just shading a larger chasing group which includes the Chiefs.

Both sides have lost a test star to injury.

The Chiefs are without halfback Byron Kelleher and the hosts are missing Matt Giteau whose absence may be felt more as Kelleher has yet to click into top gear this season.

His replacement Jamie Nutbrown will need to raise his game for his duel with master strategist George Gregan at a ground where the Brumbies have built a formidable winning tally.

"Their record there is very good," Foster, "and we are expecting a backlash from last week."

The Chiefs shrugged off some of that apprehension last season when they held the Brumbies to a 28-all draw in Canberra, and believe they can emulate the Blues' winning passion and setpiece keys from last week.

"We have been travelling all right there especially with our scrum in the last game against the Crusaders," Foster said.

"Our lineouts have been a bit patchy but overall our setpiece has been fine.

"It will be vital to get our own ball. The Blues showed how crucial that was."

Foster would not debate whether the Brumbies' renowned patterned play was a strength or weakness. The answer was to slow down or disrupt those plans.

He watched the Blues unhinge the Brumbies last week at Eden Park and among his notes the words accuracy, momentum and defence should have been underlined for tonight.

One piece of footage should have been mandatory viewing for the Chiefs.

After a rare lengthy passage of recycled ball the Brumbies could not get past a stubborn Blues defence and eventually Gregan ran out of ideas and teammates to use on attack.

It was the sort of psychological pressure the Chiefs must create through men like Marty Holah, Sione Lauaki and Jono Gibbes, players who might surprise against a Brumbies backrow which has been retooled with George Smith at No 8.

After a recent run of impressive performances, Lauaki's form tonight will be evidence of whether the Chiefs have retained their intensity and can sustain the approach they had before their bye.

The elusive running of Sitiveni Sivivatu will be another weapon while the Chiefs backs must sweat on Stephen Larkham and Stirling Mortlock; shut them down and a large chunk of the Brumbies firepower is halted.

Disrupting the Nutbrown/Stephen Donald alliance will be a prime Brumbies target, an area where they will sense some indecision and pitfalls for the visitors.

All this uncertainty discounts the impact of referee Jerome Fortuin, an official whose control this season has been questionable.

Teams

Brumbies: A. Ashley-Coope, Clyde Rathbon, Stirling Mortlock (c), Gene Fairbanks, Mark Gerrard, Stephen Larkham, George Gregan, George Smith, Julian Salvi, A. Wallace-Harrison, Mark Chisholm, Alister Campbell, Guy Shepherdson, J McCormack, Bill Young.
Reserves: Jeremy Paul, Nic Henderson, Radike Samo, Jone Tawake, Patrick Phibbs, Daniel Heenan, Joel Wilson

Chiefs: Mils Muliaina, Sosene Anesi, Mark Ranby, Sam Tuitupou, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Stephen Donald, Jamie Nutbrown, Sione Lauaki, Marty Holah, Steven Bates, Bernie Upton, Jono Gibbes (c), Ben Castle, Tom Willis, Deacon Manu.
Reserves: Aleki Lutui, Simms Davison, Sean Hohneck, Kristian Ormsby, Brendon Leonard, David Hill, Loki Crichton.